Sam Rosolina
VP of Applied Innovation
Microbial Insights, Inc.
Presentation Date: October 20, 2022
As researchers continue to identify the impact that natural source zone depletion (NSZD) has on site cleanup timeframes, there is a growing need for methods and tools that provide microbial-based metrics to aid in conceptual site modelling. Through the identification and quantification of the microorganisms and functional genes related to NSZD at hydrocarbon release sites, site and project managers are better able to: 1) identify the potential for NSZD, 2) enhance site-specific models and 3) provide direct microbial data to regulatory bodies as proof of NSZD potential. The Microbial Insights QuantArray®-NSZD is an advanced qPCR method that quantifies a broad spectrum of NSZD microorganisms and functional genes in a single analysis for a more comprehensive and cost-effective evaluation of bioremediation potential. By incorporating these molecular biological tools into baseline sampling and routine monitoring, and by utilizing the Microbial Insights database for enhanced data analysis, the subsurface microbiome will no longer be an unknown. Within this study, QuantArray®-NSZD was employed to identify the presence of key gene targets related to NSZD at a petroleum hydrocarbon-impacted site.